| Olympics Organizers Ask Twitter-Happy Attendees to 'Take It Easy' Posted: 30 Jul 2012 04:13 PM PDT  The modern Olympic Games are a tradition over a century old. During this period, this quadrennial event, arguably the greatest sporting spectacle on Earth, has encountered its fair share of hiccups and problems (as you'd expect). From terrorist attacks to political games to outright cancellations, the Olympics have seen it all. But the 30th edition of this sporting extravaganza, which is currently being held in London, is having to contend with a completely new kind of problem: Twitter-happy attendees.
Apparently, London's wireless networks are under heavy pressure from all the tweets that are coming out of the Games. So much so, in fact, that Olympic organizers believe it was heavy Twitter and text traffic that prevented TV commentators from receiving crucial timing information during the men's cycling race on Saturday. The problem occurred when GPS transmitters on the athletes' bikes failed to transmit timing data in wake of network congestion. In a bid to remedy the situation, the organizers then asked spectators using Twitter on their phones to stop doing so. "From my understanding, One network was oversubscribed, and OBS are trying to spread the load to other providers. We don't want to stop people engaging in this by social media but perhaps they might consider only sending urgent updates," Mark Adams, a spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, told The Guardian. |
| Google Swaps Gmail Video Chat with Google+ Hangouts Posted: 30 Jul 2012 12:39 PM PDT  Having already conquered search, Google seems to have set its sights on doing everything in its power to promote its Google+ network. There's no need to feign surprise, then, that Google its giving is Gmail video chat service a makeover with Google+ Hangouts. The alteration upgrades Gmail's peer-to-peer based video chat feature with "more modern video calling technology" that promises to improve reliability and enhance video quality, as well as allow Gmail users to connect with people using Google+.
"Since the introduction of Gmail video chat back in 2008, many of you have told us that you love the direct, personal communication it provides. That's why we're excited to announce that video chat is being upgraded to a more modern video calling technology -- Google+ Hangouts," Google announced in a blog post. Google says Gmail users will still be able to chat with the same people as before, only now they'll be able to reach them in a variety of places, not just when they're using Gmail. There are several side benefits too, like being able to chat with up to nine people at once, collaborate on Google documents, share screens, and the ability to watch YouTube videos together. The makeover is already being rolled out, though it won't be completely finished for a few more weeks. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 and 550 Graphics Cards Nearing End of Life (EOL) Status Posted: 30 Jul 2012 09:19 AM PDT  Technology and Lindsay Lohan don't seem to have a lot in common, but like the oft troubled celebrity, technology seems to always age faster than anyone thought possible. In a sense, there's no such thing as future proofing. We bring this up because a pair of popular mid-range graphics cards from yesterday -- Nvidia' GeForce GTX 560 and 550 parts -- are on the verge of becoming obsolete tomorrow.
By obsolete, we don't mean they'll suddenly stop pumping out playable framerates in whatever games you're currently playing. Instead, we're referring to Donanimhaber.com's report that Nvidia is getting ready to tag both cards with an EOL (End of Life) label. Nvidia's hardware partners have reportedly already received their final order notices as the GPU maker looks to offload existing stock and make way for its upcoming GeForce GTX 660 and 650 series. One of the first of these is rumored to be a GK104-based GeForce GTX 660 Ti slated for an August 16th launch. If you're a bargain hunter who doesn't mind investing in last generation hardware, keep your eyes peeled for price drops on GTX 550 and 560 parts. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Google Engineer Exposes Ubisoft's Uplay DRM as Rootkit Posted: 30 Jul 2012 08:34 AM PDT  Honest PC users aren't in need of yet another reason to rage against Digital Rights Management (DRM) schemes that often serve to setup hoops for law abiding citizens to jump through without stomping out software piracy, but just in case, here's another one. Ubisoft's Uplay client may contain a rootkit that could allow remote hackers to infiltrate your system and take control. Yikes!
Tavis Ormandy, who serves as an Information Security Engineer at Google, discovered the vulnerability and posted his findings on SecLists.org's Security Mailing List. "While on vacation recently I bought a video game called Assassin's Creed Revelations. I didn't have much of a chance to play it, but it seems fun so far. However, I noticed the installation procedure creates a browser plugin for it's accompanying Uplay launcher, which grants unexpectedly (at least to me) wide access to websites," Ormandy explained. "I don't know if it's by design, but I thought I'd mention it here in case someone else wants to look into it." Ormandy took it upon himself to follow up his post with a proof of concept exploiting the security hole, but what's even more troubling is how widespread this is. It's not just Assassin's Creed that is affected, but all games that rely on Ubisoft's Uplay DRM, including the entire Assassin's Creed series, Call of Juarez, Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic, Heroes of Might and Magic VI, all Tom Clancy titles, and many others. There are nearly two dozen titles in all that are affected by this. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Windows Phone Growth Spiked in July, Still Has Long Way to Go Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:43 AM PDT  Let's face it, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform isn't going to propel itself to the front of the pack, just like the Colorado Rockies aren't going to rally and win their division in the National League. In both cases, it's mathematically possible, but so is playing roulette and watching the ball land on 00 three times in a row. Be that as it may, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform is making personal strides, with the month of July marking its biggest growth month so far this year.
The folks over at WMPowerUser.com culled through data from StatCounter and found that the Windows Phone install base in the European Union grew by 24 percent in July. Impressive? Sure, though that only represents a 1.68 percent share of the total mobile market in the EU. Similar growth was spotted in other parts of the world, including a 27 percent month-on-month gain in Germany, 29 percent gain in France, 18 percent jump in the U.K., and a 19 percent in the U.S. where Windows Phone claims a 1.18 percent share of the overall market. It's interesting to see the Windows Phone platform gain momentum as the Windows Phone 8 launch looms on the horizon, considering all current Windows Phone devices will not be supported by the OS update. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Microsoft's Surface Tablet to Touch Ground October 26th, Same Day as Windows 8 Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:16 AM PDT  Windows users have already marked their calendars for October 26, 2012, which is the day Microsoft joins the touch-computing revolution with the launch of Windows 8. Not the least bit surprising, it's also the day Microsoft will begin selling its Surface tablet, a revelation that appears in a recent 10-K filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in lieu of an official announcement.
"The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012. At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices," Microsoft stated on page 4 of the 95-page document. Microsoft has already gone on record saying its Surface devices will be available alongside Windows 8, but this is the first time the company has attached a specific release date (the product website still lists "coming soon"). What's still up in the air is pricing. There will be two versions of Surface, including one that runs Windows RT with ARM hardware and pricier model running Windows 8 Pro with Intel inside. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| GBI Research Explains How the DRAM Industry Damned Itself Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT Remember when high-end memory kits would set you back several hundred dollars? Those days are long gone, and for various reasons (all of which are great for consumers but stink for manufactures trying to flip a profit), they might never return. One of the reasons is that overclocking no longer carries such a heavy reliance on RAM. Memory is still important, but not like it was in the Pentium IV and AMD 64 era. But the biggest reason manufacturers are stuck in a low price rut is because they're caught in a "vicious circle of oversupply," GBI Research says. According to GBI Research, there are several factors at play. There's the global economic uncertainty of the past few years, along with more efficient applications that require less memory, both of which have led to an overabundance of DRAM and resulting price drops. "Prices have fallen so much in fact that manufacturers have been forced to sell these memory devices at below production cost, preventing profit generation," GBI Research says. "In response, manufacturers have been producing DRAM at 100 percent factory capacity in an attempt to claw back expenses, which has only exacerbated the market oversupply problem." The growing market for portable devices will offer DRAM makers some relief, but it won't be a saving grace. If they're to dig themselves out of the hole they're currently in, DRAM players will have to control supply and demand, GBI Research says. Image Credit: Tobias b köhler via Creative Commons Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Microsoft Rolls Out New Mouse and Keyboard Products for Windows 8 Posted: 30 Jul 2012 06:09 AM PDT  Microsoft is already starting to milk what it hopes is a Windows 8 cash cow before the operating system comes home to pasture. In case anyone has forgotten, Microsoft is also in the business of selling hardware accessories, something it's been doing for the past three decades, and it continues today with the introduction of new mice and keyboards, all of which "work beautifully with Windows 8," the company claims.
There are five new products in all, including two keyboards and three mice. Starting with the keyboards, Microsoft introduced the Wedge Mobile Keyboard, which is an ultraslim plank designed specifically for Windows 8 tablet users. It has Windows hotkeys and built-in media keys, and connects via Bluetooth. Microsoft set the MSRP at $80. The other plank is the Sculpt Mobile Keyboard, which is a full-sized accessory with Microsoft's Comfort Curve design and Bluetooth connectivity. It will retail for $50. Switching gears to rodents, Microsoft introduced an ultra compact Wedge Touch Mouse ($70) for tablet users, Sculpt Touch Mouse ($50) with "smooth and easy navigation" in Windows 8, and Touch Mouse ($80) with updated gesture settings for Windows 8. All five accessories will be available soon, Microsoft says. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
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